Calling the hike "anti-people", Mayawati said it would be prudent for the Congress-led government to cancel the new fares before they come into effect on January 21 midnight.

The announcement by Railway Minister PK Bansal on Wednesday was the first across the board train fare increase in 10 years. The BSP's 21 members in the Lok Sabha and 15 in the Rajya Sabha support the Congress-led UPA government.